Friends
by kimper
Summary: Friends Will Do Anything For You... One Shot!


Disclaimer: I do not own Samurai Champloo!

Jin listened to the softly approaching footsteps. He had been wondering when she would catch up to him. It annoyed him that she worried so much, yet at the same time it comforted him to know that someone cared. Shaking his head, he sighed and sat down by the path to wait. A few minutes later Fuu came into view, a worried look on her face. He looked up at the sky, lost in thought. She had been like this ever since the last attempt on his life. Always worrying when he went off on his own, never giving him a moments privacy. It was nice though, to know that someone worried for him. He had never felt that before. Hearing a muffled scream, he looked back down at the path. Horror filled him as he realized what had happened. Springing to his feet, he pulled his sword from its sheath, facing the man standing beside Fuus' crumpled body. He looked to her and saw that she was still alive. Tears rolled down her cheeks as she put her tiny hand over the growing red stain on her kimono.

"There is no honor in attacking defenseless young women Sakuri. Have you chosen to leave the path of the Samurai?" he asked the younger man standing before him.

"I chose to give you a taste of your own Jin. You took our master away from us, now it is time for you to pay," Sakuri yelled as he charged toward Jin.

Jin dodged the attack easily and turned to strike, but Sakuri surprised him by still managing to evade.

"Your skills have improved since our last fight Sakuri."

"I've had a goal since our last fight Jin. Killing you has become my life, and I have trained accordingly. Your deed will not go unpunished."

Advancing toward one another again, their swords slashed together, each evading the other in a dark dance of death.

Jin swirled around Sakuri and surprised him with a blade to the gut.

"It should not have been this way Sakuri."

"After what you did this was the only way it could be Jin."

Surprisingly the young man did not fall when most would have but continued to fight.

Out of the corner of his eye, Jin saw Fuu struggling to stand, blood pouring from between her fingers now. He needed to end this quickly to have any hope of saving her. He did not need the blood of more innocents on his hands, they were stained enough already. Focusing completely on Sakuri Jin raised his sword and rushed forward. Sakuri managed to evade yet again and caught Jin off guard. That was unexpected. Jin fought his forward momentum and tried to turn. He saw that Sakuri was ready to strike and tried even harder to get into position, watching in disbelief as the blade came towards him. Preparing for the impact he tried to dodge enough that the blow wouldn't hit anything vital. A blur of movement caught his eye and he heard a sharp plunging sound. Fuu had blocked the blow with her small, beautiful body he realized as he saw her smile peacefully at him from her perch on the end of Sakuris' sword. Grabbing his own sword he stabbed the young man through the heart while he was distracted, then realeased the hilt and pulled Fuus' body to him.

"Why Fuu? Why would you do that?" he asked her quiet, shaking form.

"It's so pretty Jin. Everything is peaceful here…but…where…where am I?" she whispered as her eyes looked blankly around.

"You're with me Fuu, I've got you."

"You're okay then Jin? He didn't get to you did he?"

"No Fuu. I am unharmed, thanks to you. Why did you throw yourself in between us Fuu?"

"I couldn't let him get you Jin. You are meant for better things than what you've done so far. You're meant for better than hunting for sunflower samurais, and dying in a forest. Believe me Jin, you will do great things one day…"

He watched as her eyes closed and her breath ceased. He closed his eyes and laid his forehead on her now still form.

"I will keep searching Fuu, I will find him for you, one day, and I will tell him of the girl named Fuu who looked for him. He will know who you are Fuu, he will know."

Picking her up in his arms he walked further into the forest until he came to a clearing. It was filled with beautiful pink flowers and looked ethereal in the moonlight. There…with tears in his eyes…he set about burying his only friend.

A/N: Please Read And Review!


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